The dangers of alcohol addiction involve mental, physical, and behavioral elements that can change your life for the worse. At Bayview Recovery, we help those with alcohol abuse disorder get the help they need to win back control of their lives. We welcome clients from Tacoma, WA, and beyond. Keep reading to learn more about the risks associated with alcohol abuse.

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Dangers of Alcohol Addiction

Having a few drinks occasionally probably won’t trigger lasting effects. However, that changes if you consume a lot of alcohol regularly. Age, sex, weight, and other factors determine what this means for you. Generally, more than four drinks a day for men and three for women can lead to alcohol dependence — which brings on negative mental and physical side effects.

Liver Damage

Your liver flushes toxins, including alcohol, out of the body. When you drink too much, your liver kicks into overdrive. However, it can’t maintain this pace indefinitely. Drinking too fast or too often can cause cirrhosis, scarring that results from cells killed by alcohol. Long-term use can also lead to fatty liver disease, which indicates that your liver doesn’t work as efficiently as you need it to.

Get help at an effective alcohol addiction treatment center such as Bayview Recovery to prevent irreversible liver damage.

Disease

The dangers of alcohol addiction include high levels of fat and cholesterol as well as blood clots. Heart disease may develop due to the poor pumping capability of the damaged heart muscle. Additionally, heavy drinkers often have issues with their central nervous system and anemia.

Brain and Nervous System

Alcohol interferes with the way your brain communicates with the rest of the body. The dangers of alcohol addiction include the inability to speak or think clearly. This also impacts your memory and coordination. Therefore, letting your addiction go untreated can cause permanent damage that affects your quality of life forever.

At Bayview Recovery, we have several treatment programs that incorporate the 12 steps program approach to recovering from alcoholism. These include our group therapy program that lets you find and give support to others in recovery and an individual therapy program.

Anemia

Alcoholism contributes to anemia, which derives from an inability to make enough red blood cells to get oxygen to every part of the body. Ultimately, this leads to inflammation, ulcers, and other health concerns. In recovery, you learn the importance of eating regular meals of healthy foods to avoid contracting anemia.

Cancer

Heavy alcohol use contributes to many forms of cancer. Alcohol is harmful to cells in your voice box, throat, and mouth and can contribute to cancer of the esophagus, breast, liver, and intestines. If you need help giving up alcohol, the staff and therapists at Bayview Recovery can guide you through the detox process and help get you back on the road to health.

Dangers of Alcohol Addiction to Brain Chemistry

Both short- and long-term disruptions in brain chemistry make alcohol addiction dangerous. This affects your behavior, mood, and cognitive abilities. Excessive alcohol abuse also contributes to malnutrition, liver disease, and seizures. To avoid harm to an unborn child, we recommend seeking professional help to overcome alcohol addiction.

Our cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy programs can help you look to cope with drug cravings and negative thoughts more positively.

Alcohol Addiction Rehab in Tacoma, WA

Alcohol addiction doesn’t have to ruin your life. Bayview Recovery offers therapy programs to help you or a loved one overcome addiction. In addition to alcohol addiction, we also help treat:

Contact Bayview Recovery in Tacoma, WA, at 855.478.3650 for more information on how to get help today. Let us guide you through detox, recovery, and aftercare to give you a shot at a better life free of alcohol.